Blue Rock Still FiringWill Thompson | First Published: November 2005

We have certainly had some wild and unpredictable weather over the last month with warm clear days followed by disgustingly cold windy ones.

For starters, Blue Rock Lake has continued to fish very well. Water levels are still high – over 90 per cent – which is probably the main reason why it’s still performing. At the Willow Grove end of the lake, the evening session just before dark seems to be the most productive couple of hours to catch trout. Flies have been dramatically outfishing most other methods. The best has probably been a brown nymph retrieved very slowly. Even if the fish are rising, a small brown nymph cast in front of the fish will nearly always induce a take. If flyfishing isn’t your thing, bladed lures such as Celtas have been working during the late evening period as well.

Most of the fish caught lately have only been 300 to 500g, and are probably stocked brown trout from 2004. Closer to the wall though, a few bigger fish have been caught by anglers suspending a worm under a float when the weather permits. If it’s absolutely atrocious, a running sinker is a better method and don’t be surprised if you nail a few carp as well.

At Lake Glenmaggie, rumours of bass captures have been circulating on the grapevine, but I’m yet to see any proof. I do know however, that quite a few small, naturally recruited brown trout have been caught below Licola on Tassie Devils and Bangtail lures. The Macalister has only just become fishable again after the huge rains that filled Glenmaggie came through and turned the Macalister into a mud pit.

The Thomson catchment has been fishing very well up high. Unusually, most of the fish getting caught are female browns still carrying eggs. Tassie Devils have definitely been the lure to use in this area.

Back in my neck of the woods, the Traralgon Creek has been dynamite. The water has continued to flow well because of the constant rain we’ve been having and the fish are doing very well. Celtas have been doing most of the damage in all sizes and colours.

For more information, contact Will at Allways Angling in Traralgon on (03) 5174 8544.